London – Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that leveraged finance partner Luke McDougall will join the London office as a partner in the Corporate practice. Mr. McDougall will be joining from Ashurst, where he is a partner in the banking group.

Mr. McDougall specialises in European leveraged finance, as well as cross-border acquisition finance and restructuring. He has experience acting for senior lenders, junior lenders, and borrower groups on a variety of capital structures as well as on corporate lending, debt portfolio acquisitions, and specialist financing transactions. He was named a ‘Rising Star’ of the legal profession by Financial News in their ‘40 Under 40’ feature in February 2015.
“Luke’s appointment allows us to take further advantage of the developing trends in leveraged finance products in Europe,” said William Schwitter, chair of the Leveraged Finance practice at Paul Hastings. “Working with leading high yield bond partner Peter Schwartz and a growing team in London, he will significantly enhance Paul Hastings’ leveraged finance offering in Europe, and add materially to the strength of our global finance practice.”

“We’re looking forward to welcoming Luke, who joins at a momentous time in our development in London,” said Ronan O’Sullivan, chair of the London office. “This is the next step in the continuing growth of an integrated, versatile European bank finance and high yield practice, with strength in English law loans, New York law loans and high yield bonds.”

Paul Hastings' Leveraged Finance practice in New York is at the forefront of the market, following the firm's significant recent investment in the practice through the hire of a number of the leading lawyers in the New York market. The practice has earned top rankings in Thomson Reuters LPC’s league table, the premier global provider of information on the syndicated loan and high yield bond markets, and is #3 for US Lender Law Firm Bookrunner/M&A at the close of 2014.

Paul Hastings is a leading global law firm with a strong presence throughout Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Through a collaborative approach, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to client service, the professionals of Paul Hastings deliver innovative solutions to many of the world’s top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies.